Sanitary napkin.



Aug. 13, 19ML @Homuu G. RINKE SANITARY NAPKIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY10, 1913.

Patented WVM/Legno GEORGE RINKE, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SANITARY NAPKIN.

momia.

Specification of Letters atent. Patented Aug. 18, 1914,

Application led May 10, 1913. Serial No. 766,815. Y

To all whom it may concern j Be it known that l, GEORGE RINKE, a

citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Detroit in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Napkins, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to improvements in sanitarynapkins, for the use of females during their menstrual periods.

An object of the invention is to produce a device for the use of females during their menstrualperiod and one which is adapted to be applied to infants as a diaper or as a bandage where an absorbent pad is needed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which will have great absorbent capacity and a construction which provides for a disassembling or unfolding of the structure so that it may be hygienically cleansed, which would be difficult and unsatisfactory were the parts associated in fixed relation one to the other. j

A further object of the invention is to produce an article of the character noted that will possess advantages in point of efficiency and at the same time provide an article which can be manufactured as a complete article of apparel and one which may be used, when desired, with applied absorbent material placed within a pocket formed in the napkin, all as will be hereinafter set forth.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sanitary napkinlor pad which is crocheted or knitted to provide a tubular body portion having at opposite ends semidiarnetrical extensions of the same length as the tubular body portion, and on the opposite sides of the ends of the tubular body portion from said extensions tabs for attaching the napkin to a belt or support in the usual manner.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a longitudinal section showing the end extensions housed within the body portion and with the tabs extended. Fig. 2 is also a longitudinal section which shows the end extensions without the body portion, and Fig. 3 is a perspective' view of the sanitary napkin.

Referring to the drawings 1, denotes the tubular body portion of the article, or meni st-rual pad which is preferably made of soft or loosely twisted yarn or fiber having its porous characteristics preserved in order that it will have a maximum absorbent quality, such body portion beingformed by knitting or crochetlng the yarn or worsted in tubular form so that it may be flattened out for use. A preferredl type of yarn used in the make up of the article is cotton yarn made up of a plurality of 'loosely twisted strands assembled to form an untwisted cord which when knitted will be soft and will leave the capillary qualities ofa the strands unimpaired, and in knitting ,a loose stitch is emplo ed which will form longitudinally ribbe or raised port-ions on both sides with intermediate depressions, and by employing a loose stitch the article will have soft texture and its elasticity will be preserved.

The tubular body portion 1 of the article has formed thereon or attached thereto tabs 2 and 3, such tabs may be formed of the same material as the part l', and will be fashioned to be at the ends which join the tubular por-tion one-half of the length of the circumference thereof and from the point of juncture with the ends of the body portion these tabs have convergingedges. The tabs are knit or woven and fashioned to be less elastic than the body ortion they being intended to be connected y a safetypin or other connecting means t-o strapsl or bands from a belt or garment to hold the body portion in place-upon the person. lt will be noted that when the body portion is laid flat that the tabs 2 and 3 project from opposite ends of the same side of the body portion, and it is fully within the purview of my invention to form the tabs independently and then attach them in place, and to affix buttons or their-equivalent as straps or elastic bands with loops to the end portions of the tabs.

The tubular body portion 1 is constructed to have at the ends thereof flaps 4 and 5, which may be practically aboutl the same length as the length of the body portion, the width of the flaps being about one-half of the circumference of the tubular body portion. When the body portion is laid iiat one of the flaps will be a continuation of the body portion, such flap 4. being joined to the body portion at the point of juncture therewith of the tab 3, and the opposite flap 5 is joined to the tubular body portion on the opposite side of its open end from the tab `2.

rll`he flaps t and 5 may be andare referably j formed as a continuation of the ody por tion, beinoknit or woven Aof the same material andD stitch, and in use the flaps are folded or housed within the tubular body portion and in cleansing after use the flaps maybe easily withdrawn.

The menstrual pad or napkin herein described-may be knit or woven fiat with the Haps projecting or extending from opposite sides oi the ends and the same end that has the flap 5 may be fashioned to provide the tab 2, the tab 3 being attached when the longitudinaledges of the body portion are joined to form the tubular portion that receives the absorbent flaps.

rl`his sanitary napkin may be used as a diaper for children or infants and when desired other material either absorbent or medicated may be placed within the tubular body portion.

The construction is such that the iaps may be used outside of the tubular body portion .if desired. The hygienic characteristics of the device will be apparent and it is obvious that the construction of the same may be varied without departing from the invention set forth in the claims. Though itis within the purview of my invention to inakethe napkin of ordinary yarn knitted or crocheted with any typeof stitch, itis prei-'erredvand deemed best to use a stitch which will produce longitudinal ribs between which are depressions, as such a stitch provides a larger absorbent surface than if a flat stitch is used, and the ribs and depressions which alternate will better retain the menses than a flat surface. The yarn used in the make up of the body portion and the flaps or pads is preferably what is knownas candle Wick which is composed of a plurality of strands or threads which are laid together without twisting, and this type of yarn or worsted is well to opposite ends of the body portion.

2. A sanitary napkin comprisingI a knitted or crocheted tubular body portion,

flaps of the same material and texture asY the body portion associated with the opposite ends thereof` one to the top and the other to the bottom of the body portion when flat and tabs connected to the opposite ends ot the same longitudinal half of the body portion.

3. As an article of manufacture, a knitted or crocheted sanitary napkin comprising a tubular and openended body portion, aps which extend fromthe opposite sides and ends of the body portion which flaps are adapted to be housed one above the other within thebody portion and supporting tabs connected to the opposite ends of the same longitudinal half of the body portion.

4. A sanitary napkin comprising a tubular body portion and pads in the form of ilat flaps made by crocheting the parts Jfrom candle-wick yarn using a ribbed stitch the ribs alternating on the same side with depressions and extending longitudinally, and end tabs attached to the body portion one of the tabs being secured to the body portion at the point of juncture of one of the flaps with said body portion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE RINKE.

Witnesses:

LOUIS J. SInMoN ANTHONY J. MONNIG. 

